PESHAWAR: In the absence of any written directive from the provincial government regarding the replacement or abolition of Boards of Governors (BoGs) of medical teaching institutions (MTIs), district administrations have virtually taken control of these institutions, as evidenced by a recent order issued in Swat.
On Thursday, the medical superintendent (MS) of Saidu Group of Teaching Hospitals (SGTH), Swat, issued a notification on the directives of Malakand commissioner, announcing administrative changes that, under the law, fall within the purview of BoG.
On Sept 30, 2025, the provincial government approved the extension of Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act (MTIRA), 2015, to Saidu Wing of SGTH, Swat. The decision was formally notified onApril 19 this year.
Under the notification, the Saidu Wing of SGTH, including Saidu Medical College and Saidu College of Dentistry, was declared the province’s 11th MTI, while its Central Wing was designated as district headquarters (DHQ) hospital. A seven-member BoG was also notified that also held a few meetings.
The move was taken in accordance with MT IRA, under which hospitals and their affiliated medical and dental colleges are governed by BoGs. The members of the BoG are selectedfromprivatesectorthrough a Search and Nomination Council, headed by the provincial health minister, and approved by the chief minister.
However, SGTH is the second MTI, after Bannu, where district administration has assumed administrative control without formal denotification of the respective BoG.
In a notification issued to all relevant officials at SGTH, the MS said that, in compliance with the commissioner’s directives, decisions had been taken regarding the establishment of rehabilitation medicine services under one roof and the rationalisation of patient flow between Saidu and Central wings of the hos-pital.
According to the notification, the measures were aimed at streamlining hospital services, ensuring optimal utilisation of available infrastructure and improving patient care.
Under the new arrangements, Male Medical ‘C’ Ward will be shifted to Male Orthopaedic ‘B’ Ward, while Female Medical ‘C’ Ward will be relocated to Rehabilitation Medicine Ward.
Male Orthopaedic ‘B’ Ward will be merged with Male Orthopaedic ‘A’ Ward. The Rehabilitation Medicine Department will be shifted to Medical ‘C’ Ward in the Saidu Wing of the hospital.
The notification stated that two rooms would be allocated for Medical OPD in the Central Wing’s OPD Block.
The heads of all departments, wards and administrative officials have been directed to ensure coordinated implementation of these decisions. They have also been instructed to make proper arrangements for shifting patients, equipment, furniture, medical records and staff to ensure uninterrupted provision of healthcare services to patients.The MS will supervise and coordinate the implementation process to ensure that the transition is completed smoothly and efficiently in the best interests of patient care.
Continuous interference by district administrations in MTIs has also troubled Prof Nausherwan Burki, the architect and implementer of MTIRA in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
‘I will ask BoGs about the situation. Neither has the new government communicated anything aboutMTIs,norhaveIresigned,’he told Dawn. Prof Burki is also chairman of MTI Policy Board.
The SGTH chapter of Provincial Doctors Association (PDA) has expressed concern over what it terms unnecessary interference in hospital affairs.
It said that the direct involvement of district administration in hospital affairs, particularly the shifting of wards, raised serious concerns and warranted careful consideration.
Health officials said that the SGTH hospital was not handed over to MTI Swat. The bifurcation of SGTH as MTI and Central Wing as DHQ has not yet been finalised.
However, it was the area of health department to intervene, not the district administration, they said.